From AAUP National

The mission of the
American Association of University
Professors (AAUP) is to advance academic freedom and shared governance,
to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher
education, and to ensure higher education's contribution to the common
good.

AAUP Chapter Report

Indiana State University

Relations between ISU faculty and administration are strained. The recent forced resignation of the Dean of our College of Business, the attempt to force a merger between the College of Nursing and the College of Health and Human Performance, and a proposed radical restructuring of the College of Arts and Sciences are actions that have exacerbated already existing tensions. Also contributing to tension is the failure of the administration to provide pay increases adequate to match inflation over the past three years, although the President received a 12 percent increase. The majority of faculty and staff are working now for about 9 percent less pay in real terms, compared to 2003-2004. The chapter has pursued the following activities:

We organized of a fall forum to investigate the potentials and pitfalls of pursuing collective bargaining by the ISU faculty and support staff. On 18 October we hosted two speakers, Pat Shaw from the national AAUP and K. Vinodgopal from the Indiana AAUP conference, who addressed a small audience of interested faculty. Energetic presentations by the speakers and active audience participation made the forum a success. We had a jump in membership soon after the forum.

In response to an initiative to radically restructure the College of Arts and Sciences, the local chapter wrote an open letter to Interim Dean Thomas Sauer and Provost Jack Maynard asking for clarification on the motivations and requesting that traditional shared governance procedures be followed in place of the ad hoc approach designed by the Dean. We held a brief press conference to announce the letter to the public. Media coverage included the ISU student paper, the local Terre Haute paper, and a short story on local television news.

The Executive Committee of the local chapter will be engaged in strategy planning for further activities in support of faculty and public interest in Indiana State University. Here are issues that will receive out attention:

Increasing membership in AAUP

Formulating additional steps to take in opposition to the proposed restructuring

Developing a task force to evaluate the ISU budget and devise critiques of misguided spending

Establishing a newsletter to inform faculty of issues that affect the working lives of faculty and staff at ISU and related AAUP activities

Developing relations with the print and broadcast media

Developing relations with elected officials and others in state government